We are the generation that can end poverty

Main menu

UN Secretary-General listens to 1 Million Voices from MY World

People around the world call for better education, healthcare, honest and responsive government and jobs.

The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon presented today a new report “A Million Voices: The World We Want”. The report summarizes the findings from public consultations and surveys, that engaged more than 1.3 million people in all 193 UN Member States since August 2012 in an effort to identify priorities for the post-2015 development agenda that will succeed the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

“For the last year, the UN has been encouraging an unprecedented ‘global conversation’ on the world that people want,” said Ban Ki-moon. “The report that we launch today captures the voices of over one million people from all regions and backgrounds. We sought the voices of those that are usually unheard – particularly those people that are poor, excluded or marginalized.”

Almost one million people participated on these consultations through the MY World options survey, using digital channels, SMS and extensive offline interactions through a network of over 700 civil society partners.

Most MY World votes came from India, Nigeria, Cameroon, Thailand, Philippines, Rwanda, USA, UK, Brazil and Indonesia. Half of all participants were under 30 years old.

What are people saying?

The consultations and surveys implemented so far had revealed that people expect governments and the international community to create conditions for inclusive social and economic development, in peace and security, and within planetary boundaries. They want world leaders to focus on:

Completing the unfinished business of the MDGs by providing everyone in the world access to water, food, better health care, and quality education;

The management of natural resources, job creation, and security and freedom from violence;

Addressing inequalities in terms of obstacles to access public services, participate in political processes or job opportunities.

Zooming in on single issues, the call for better education, improved health care services, honest and responsive governments, and jobs has dominated the discussions around the world.

“When governments meet in New York and agree on the next steps to define a new development agenda, they will find invaluable guidance in this report,” continued Ban Ki-moon, “these million voices tell us that we have a big and urgent job ahead: to agree on a new development agenda that carries the same simplicity and strength as the MDG framework – an agenda that serves both people and the planet. A new era demands a new vision. As we continue to support the negotiations, the UN system will continue to bring the voices of the people to the table.”

MY World Exhibition: listening to one million voices

The findings of the report will be presented on 23 September 2013 to world leaders during the 68th UN General Assembly session in New York.

My World results will also be part of the exhibition “MY World: Listening to one Million Voices” at Danny Kaye Centre- UNICEF House, New York. This exhibit will be open to the general public from September 19 until November 28 2013 from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

“This global conversation has revealed the appetite for participation that exists,” added Ban Ki-moon. “People want to be engaged in setting this new agenda. Equally importantly, they want to be part of putting it into action, and to hold us to the promises we make.”

During the event today, and with the participation of childrem from the United Nations International School, Ban Ki-moon also made a new call to action encouraging people to continue engaging in these consultations and telling what issues are important to you as we debate the future post-2015 development agenda.

The consultations and surveys will continue until the end of 2015 so that the opinions of the world’s people can feed into the intergovernmental process forming the post-2015 agenda that will build on the MDGs.